Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, today announced that it will be the official carrier of The 2004 Barclays Scottish Open, played at the majestic Loch Lomond Golf Club, Glasgow, Scotland, from 8-11 July 2004.
The Barclays Scottish Open is a prestigious tournament on The European Tour featuring many of the world’’s leading players. Current Masters Tournament winner, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, who finished runner-up behind him at Augusta National, have already committed to play.
Els, the current leader of the Volvo Order of Merit and European Number One last season, will defend the title which he won for a second time in 2003.
Keith Longstaff, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Europe, who made the announcement at the Loch Lomond Golf Club, said: “Emirates has recently launched new services from Glasgow. We see our partnership with The Barclays Scottish Open as an ideal opportunity both to underline our presence in Scotland and to support a high quality locally-based international event.
"The tournament promises to be a great success and we are looking forward to working closely with The European Tour and Loch Lomond Golf Club.”
Keith Williams, Chief Executive of Loch Lomond Golf Club, said: “We are delighted
to welcome Emirates as an official tournament partner. The airline’’s investment in The Barclays Scottish Open combined with its excellent reputation for quality and fine service, will enhance the international standing of what is becoming a truly world-class event.”
Emirates already has an extensive portfolio in golf. It is the official carrier at 3 other European Tour events – The Dubai Desert Classic (UAE), the BMW International Open (Germany), the BMW Asian Open (China) as well as sponsor of the Holden New Zealand Open (New Zealand) on the Australasia Tour.
About Emirates:
Emirates now links Scotland to the rest of the world through the only direct long-haul service to operate eastwards from the country.
The new service operates from Glasgow International Airport, providing more choices for customers from Scotland by offering not just a more direct way of reaching the Gulf, but also excellent connections to the Emirates' extensive destination network beyond its Dubai hub base.
More than half of the 76 cities in 53 countries presently served by the airline are located in the Middle East, Africa, Indian sub-continent and Asia-Pacific. For instance, travellers can fly from Glasgow to Sydney with only one stop in Dubai.
Emirates in top-class sport
Emirates Airline has an extensive sponsorship portfolio of sporting events on a global scale. In the world of Rugby Sevens, Emirates sponsors the Emirates Airline London Sevens, Dubai Sevens, South Africa Sevens and recently announced the inaugural Bordeaux Sevens. Emirates is also the official sponsor of the England rugby Sevens team.
Football is another sport that Emirates supports. The airline is an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, as well as Official Club sponsor of Premiership Football Club Chelsea.
In horse racing, Emirates has been title sponsor since 1996 of the Dubai World Cup, the world’’s richest event. In Australia the airline is the proud partner of the Australian Jockey Club in Sydney and sponsor of both the Emirates Oaks Day and the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Other notable sponsorships include The European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic, the Finals (in Dubai) of the UIMC Class 1 World Offshore Powerboat Championship, the Dubai Tennis Open, Collingwood Australian Rules Football team and the International Cricket Council’’s international panel of umpires and match referees for all Test and One Day international matches.
